Pantalone - -Obsessed with money - -Very seedy character - -Creepy - -Upper class- the people who have money - bit of a pedophile
Smaller nose because he is upper class. Wears a cloak with red lines so he can open it up.
Crow or a vulture
-knees up high -move tongue lots -bob neck a lot -very hunched -occasionally he explodes when he’s shocked and surprised -
Il Dottore - -Thinks he is intellectual-he’s not! - -Speaks with a posh accent - -Uses lots of huge words - -Stupid use of big words - -Bamboozles everyone with his ‘smartness’ - -The one that sells the bottle of illicsa. He sells them wart cream. - -Very arrogant
Really long nose because he is really dumb Where’s a big black cape
Duck
-doesn’t move much -waddles as he walks -he talks and talks and talks therefore making him move around in circles. -uses his mouth a lot -mouth movements very poof poof poof poof poof.
Il Capitano -Represents the military -he thinks highly of himself -speaks with a Spanish accent -very violent -very gory -he doesn't know what he's talking about (bravado) -he hasn't ever done anything he talks about.
Big sword, big hat, big feather, big boots. (all of these things are just for show) EVERYTHING BIG Big nose because he is dumb
Stallion who dances and poses
-makes big gestures -chest out -legs kicking -over the top movements
Pulcinella -speaks very stupidly -slang type accent -cynical -usually lower class but sometimes upper class, he drifts like the wind -snide -cuts people down, enjoys insulting people -prankster
Big nose because he's dumb
fox
- holds his hands back -doesn't want to get to involved -slow and more lyrical movement -lots of mouth problems
Brighella -he gets really excited -obsessed with food -he loves sausages because they are filled with meat -Arlechino's friend (but thinks he's smarter... but brighella isn't)
- big belly -really dumb -huge nose
dog- Labrador because they are very bouncy
-sticks his belly out - jumps up and down -very exaggerated eating movements -
Tartaglia -has a stutter -it means stutterer -sometimes upper and lower class character -is a messenger -confuses everyone -he got called porky pig later on because he is very similar
-not that bigger nose but is a little dumb as he has a stutter.
Pig
-uses his hands alot -uses his mouth heaps and doesn't stop talking
Arlechino - -Often tricking other characters so --that he wins - -He’s humble - -He represents the working class.
- Long nose because he is lower class. The bigger the nose the dumber they are
Like a cat, very quick and sly
-used his neck a lot -used his tongue lots -hand out -side to side movement -projecting in a ¾ angle - very quick and sly, very sleek movements
Notes - People around this time were peasants - It worked because it made everyone laugh - People expected to see certain characters - All about laughs - The peasants despise the wealthy, the intellectuals that is why they are seen as greedy or creepy. - All about toilet jokes
Drama homework- role of woman. 28/03/11
Women were present in Commedia dell'arte.
Women actually played women's roles in the plays. An example of a woman's character is Isabella, she was usually Pantalone's daughter and was young and attractive. She represented the bird or flamingo and was upper class.
There were usually seven men and three women.
Homework - to be completed by Week 1 Term 2 Complete the following research and publish it on your WIKISPACE.
1. http://www.theatrehistory.com/italian/commedia_dell_arte_001.html Make notes under the following headings? (Do not plagiarise -remember turnitin knows!!) · Commedia dell’arte – When, where and why? (What was happening in the world when Commedia emerged?) · Subjects and content of Commedia · Comedy in Commedia - what was funny? · The masks of Commedia - what did they look like?
2. Research Stock Characters: · What is a stock character? · Who were the stock characters of Commedia dell’arte? · Include graphics to illustrate the mask and costume of the following Commedia characters: Pantalone
Brighella
Il Dottore
Il Capitano
Arlecchino
3. Find and upload to your wikispace a video file of commedia in performance.
4. What role did IMPROVISATION play in Commedia dell’arte?
Question 1.
·Commedia dell’arte – When, where and why? (What was happening in the world when Commedia emerged?) This ‘species’ of play had a really long life in Italy. In fact it was from around the 14th to 18th centuries. Commedia delll’arte was flourishing in the 16th and 17th centuries. Commedia dell’arte was used to provide comic relief for the audience.
· Subjects and content of Commedia The main subjects in Commedia dell’arte were. · Disgraceful love affairs · Trickery
In Commedia dell’arte the subject was decided, the characters decided, their relation to each other and the situation is decided. This is all decided before the play. After the general outline was filled out there was an opportunity for actors to vary and establish their parts. It was hard for the actors because they had to find the right words to create emotions in the audience. Actors had to study their characters seriously because Commedia dell’arte is all about improvising.
· Comedy in Commedia - what was funny? Commedia dell’arte was mainly slapstick humour this was also referred to as ‘Lazzi’ It often didn’t even relate to the play.
· The masks of Commedia - what did they look like? The mask of Commedia dell’arte were all different for each stock character. If you wanted to tell the difference between a lower class and an upper class character you would look at the mask the character was wearing. The bigger the nose the more dumb the character was. The masks were also rubber to allow the actor to use their face which showed different emotions.
Question 2.
Research Stock Characters:
· What is a stock character? The actors of commedia dell’arte represented permanent social types, for example, foolish old men, devious servants, or military officers full of false bravado. Characters such as Pantalone and Arlecchino, the mischievous servant from Bergamo, began as parodies on Italian "types" and became the models of many of the favorite characters of 17th– and 18th–century European theatre.
· Who were the stock characters of Commedia dell’arte? · Pantalone · Il Dottore · Il Capitano · Pulcinella · Brighella · Tartaglia · Arlechino
Characters Pantalone
IL Dottore
Il Capitano.
Pulcinella
Brighella
Tartaglia
Arlechino
Question 3.
4. What role did IMPROVISATION play in Commedia dell’arte? Improvisation played a huge role in Commedia dell'arte because all of the play was made up. The actors had to know who their characters were as they had to be ready to answer any questions made up by the other characters or to just act like their character did. For example. If someone was playing Brighella they would have to know that Brighella loved sausages and that was all he cared about, this means they could tie this in with any dialogue.
Notes on Faulty Towers.
Stock Characters in fawlty towers (personality/movement/voice etc)
Wife-Cyvil Fawlty: nags, never satisfied, bossy Husband- Basil Fawlty: jokes around, sense of humour Health inspector: grim, proper, takes note of everything Chef: Very relaxed, non hygienic, Manuel: dumb, doesn't speak English, childish Polly: blonde hair, pretty Major: gutsy, retired old man, hunts with every opportunity, still thinks he is in the war
HOMEWORK:Historical Context (this must be uploaded to your wiki by Friday 29th April)
Research Commedia dell’Arte and locate the following information. You may respond in essay or short answer form:
1. What does Commedia dell’Arte mean? Commedia dell'Arte is translated to comedy of art
2. Where did it come from? Commedia dell'Arte originated in Italy. It came from the street performers in Italy in 1545
3. Provide an outline of what was happening in Italy and Europe at this time – focus on political / military events. Discuss how this impacted on the troupes.The 16th Century in Europe was a time of change. This century was the beginning of a new and modern era and it saw revolution in nearly all aspects of life. The renaissance in Italy was at its peaking point and was spreading north even arriving in places like England. Life was good for the normal citizen, the economy was getting stronger. Geniuses were emerging all over each other producing scientific discovery after discovery. New technological ideas like gunpowder were changing the means of warfare. The printing press created a massive media revolution. This would've had a huge impact on the troupes because everything around them was changing, everything was becoming newer and more creative which allowed Commedia dell'ARte to come into play as a new form of Art.
4. Describe the living conditions for peasants in Italy at this time. The economy was doing very well at the beginning of the 16th century, even the normal peasant was able to afford food. People were being optimistic about their future which resulted in them having larger families therefore making creating a bigger population. However the mixture of a growing population and inflation saw a price rise that cut wages by half by about mid 16th century. The changing conditions of the economy saw many peasants lose their land therefore resulting in poverty. Homelessness was on the rise and towns felt there as a crisis emerging when trying to deal with the poor. At the end of the 16 century a peasant would hardly ever see meat and many had reached a state of despair. All of this poverty resulted in peasant's living conditions being over crowded as they had large families as well as being very basic.
5. Find images of upper class Italian citizens. What conclusions can you draw about their lifestyle and wealth?
6. Where was commedia played? Why was this preferred? Commedia was performed outdoors in city and town centers. The troupes brought equipment, props, costumes, ladders and curtains. The stages were usually built quite high which allowed the spectators a clear view of the performance and also giving actors some room for storage underneath.
7. Why was commedia such a popular form of theatre at this time? Commedia dell'arte was popular because
it was funny
It was all improvise
lazzi was used
It was a nice thing to go and watch during the hard times people were going through.
Explain why stock characters are used by contemporary script writers and why they continue to engage modern audiences
Stock characters are used by contemporary script writers because Stock characters are recognisable to the audience. This means when people are watching a performance they instantly know that the character is on stage is snobby or dumb or sly etc because they know that stock character.
PART A: Character Analysis(uploaded to wiki by Friday 6th May) Research one of the following characters of the Commedia dell’arte:
Pantalone, Il Dottore, Arlecchino, Brighella, Il Capitano, The Lovers, Zanni, Pulchinella or another of your choice. Brighella.
I would like to play both Il Dottore and Brighella.
This is the same character you will be playing in the performance for the practical part of the task.
Find a selection of costumes and masks for your chosen character on the internet and choose one you like –print it out
Masks
I like this one because the cheeks are fat which represents the fact that he eats a lot. I also like the bits of hair that have been added on because I imagine Brighella as a big, fat, friendly and hairy man. Seeing he likes sausages, I sort of think of him as an Austrian or German man because I think of Augustus Gloop's father as Augustus Gloop's dad was big and fat and hairy and looked like the man that would eat quite a lot but doesn't possess the personality of Brighella.
I like this mask because the facial features are very distinct and the colour is red which is a bouncy and vibrant colour.
I really like this mask because the facial hair really adds to the mask and actually makes the nose look bigger. The cheeks are very distinct and chubby because of course Brighella is a fat person. I also like the way the mask has a huge wart at the top of the mask because this can represent the poverty aspect as Brighella if he was wealthy probably would've got that removed as it is huge!
Costumes
This is the main costume used for Brighella. However I don't really like it as I don't think it conveys his bright and bouncy personality. I like the stripes pattern because they represent the outgoing part of his personality however I think the colours should be a little brighter. Arlechinno is a very bouncy and jester type character andhis costume is very bright so it doesn't make sense to me that Brighella is bouncy and is stuck in bland colours. I think red and black or yellow and blue or even black and orange. He just needs something to make his bubbly personality stand out more.
Describe and draw the costume you chose for your own performance in character andjustify your decisions
Explain the status of your character and his/her relationship to other commedia characters
Brighella is in the middle class section. He is the boss of Zanni and Arlechinno. He is good at pretending to be many different things and enjoys giving advice to characters such as the lovers. In any scene Brighella always adapts to the situation.
Describe how the character moves
Brighella is a very bouncy character. He moves by in a way jumping in an excited way. The actor playing him has to create the look of a fat stomach because of course Brighella is a bit of a big eater. His feet are constantly moving back and forward as he is a bouncy character. When he walks his legs stick out to either side but his head remains in the same place.
Describe the character’s personality
Brighella is the fat, friendly and bouncy character of Commedia dell'arte. He is very friendly, a little intelligent and loves eating-especially sausages! He is a kind character and his status is always secure as he is never a victim.
NB: Research means finding relevant information (through the internet/CD Rom/Encyclopaedia’s etc), reading it and using it to inform your understanding of the topic. Do not plagiarise – that is, do not copy other people’s work. Put your research into your own words and include a bibliography of the materials you use – remember Turnitin knows!
Bibliography:
I actually found a lot of different people's wikis on commedia dell'arte and in particular character summaries. If you search 'commedia dell'arte in the search wikis box heaps of information comes up. I also searched 'Brighella' and heaps of character summaries and scenarios came up.
tedb.byu.edu/files/lesson/CommediaCharacters1.doc- however for this website they got it from another website which only had the source and no publication information. This is the document that is on my wiki under the Part A heading.
This is the same character you will be playing in the performance for the practical part of the task.
Find a selection of costumes and masks for your chosen character on the internet and choose one you like –print it out
Masks
I like this mask because it actually reminds you of a doctor mainly because of the mustache but the lines on his forehead and his eyes make him look old and wise in a way even though he really isn't.
Costume
This costume represents Il Dottore well because he is a doctor and thinks he is all that. His cape makes him look smarter than he actually is and the stick is his probably what he uses to 'lecture' people about his potions and remedies with.
This costume also represents Dotorre well because you think of him as a chunky man who thinks he is smart. His cape makes him look smart and so does the collar around his neck and so do his shoes and stockings. All of his clothes make him look wealthy.
Explain the status of your character and his/her relationship to other commedia characters
Il Dottore has a wealthy status and is high on the social scale with Il Capitano and Pantelone. Officially he is a doctor but realistically he has no idea what he is talking about. If a patient was to visit the doctor the most likely diagnosis they would recieve is that they are pregnant, it wouldn't matter if they were male or female. If he didn't think they were pregnant they would be 'dead' even if they were walking around. The other characters in the scene wouldn't doubt Dottore's diagnosis because he is supposedly a 'doctor'.
Describe how the character moves
Il Dottore moves in a penguin like way- so he waddles. Seeing that he is quite a plump character he can't move very fast which causes the waddling effect. He talks with his hands which makes him look smarter and makes him look like he knows what he's talking about.
Describe the character’s personality
Il Dottore is very proper and thinks highly of himself- stuck up He has a seriously huge ego as he thinks he knows everything.
I actually found a lot of different people's wikis on commedia dell'arte and in particular character summaries. If you search 'commedia dell'arte in the search wikis box heaps of information comes up. I also searched 'Il Dottore' and heaps of character summaries and scenarios came up.
What did we get done? Our group managed to achieve a lot in this lesson.
movement:
We discussed the different movements whilst in mask. By this I mean as a group we discussed how Il Dottore would move and what his different facial expressions would be and how these would affect the audience and how they would affect the other characters in the scene. For Il Dottore our group decided that he would be a very dopy but at the same time very sly and in a way sleezy.
staging:
The group decided that we would have many different tables positioned on the stage which allows Brighella to run around and place reserved signs on each of them. The group also discussed where the different characters would sit because we have to show the relationships between the different characters.
The actual performance
They bump into each other. Arlecchino chatting to audience about descriptions..
Reserved table thing…. Chairs game :)
Il Dottore sitting at a reserved table… asks the waiter to let them in as he sees Columbina
Arlecchino foolishly decides to go in with Columbina.
Awkward date-Columbina and Arlecchino
Il Dottore is sitting next to Arlecchino and Columbina and starts to but into their conversation
Brighella drops the food under the table
Columbina goes to the bathroom-Arlecchino and Il Dottore start talking… Il Dottore tries to get information about Columbina from Arlecchino
Arlecchino needs to go to the bathroom and all of a sudden Brighella gets sick and faints and 'Il Dottore' who thinks he could impress Columbina by being a doctor tries to fix brighella but of course.. Doesn't succeed.
Arlecchino comes out of the bathroom and sees Columbina and Il Dottore in a suggesting position.
They fight-Arlecchino wins over Il dottore..
Then arlecchino and Columbina get together and Il Dottore leaves.
Costume lesson 26/05/11
My costume- Justifying costume
Black Tights: I chose the black tights to represent trousers that Il Dottore would be wearing. I chose to use black and not grey because it is a more 'professional' and in a way a more 'rich' colour than grey. Suit jacket: I chose the suit jacket because our performance is set in a modern day setting and if you saw a doctor walking around the streets of the city you would't be able to tell them apart from a business man except for a name tag or stethoscope. I also wanted to represent his wealth and by wearing this jacket his wealth is shown because the other male character (arlecchino) is wearing board shorts and a t-shirt which represents lower class. Mask: I chose this mask over the other one because it represents the more creepy side to Il Dottore and that is what he is partially about in our scene - being creepy. Dictionary: The dictionary is just to represent him thinking he is smart because everyone knows that you don't carry a dictionary around for the fun of it, I also thought that the dictionary could be a 'medical dictionary' that he made with all sorts of different diseases that he has 'come across' because when he tries to impress Columbina he uses it to determine what disease Il Dottore has. Scarf: The scarf is just there to make him look more 'proper' in a sense because most wealthy businessman/doctors always have scarves on just to make a fashion statement/
PART C Reflection and Evaluation
Explain how you prepared to play the character by answering the following questions:Use the elements of drama to help you write about performance – tension, focus, rhythm, space, movement, sound, time, symbol, mood, pace, pause and atmosphere, character/role, actor and audience relationship. What function did your character have in the plot of your play? My character was in charge of performing the operation on Brighella and also in charge of trying to impress Arlecchino's date Columbina. What was your character’s status in regards to the other characters and how did you show this? My character is of a much higher status than the other characters as he is a doctor. I showed this by always using big words in rehearsal and also adopting the correct Il Dottore stance which consists of his feet being in a 'waddle' position as well as having his arms tucked in and his head held up high. What are the main skills needed to perform in a mask? Performing in an Il Dottore mask is quite difficult because Il Dottore always moved his cheeks around so in order to do this your mouth had to be opened wide when speaking. Performing in mask also requires a lot of voice projection and you must know who your character is because if you don't know your character's personality the mask doesn't have the same effect. After the performance
How successful was your group performance? How could you improve? How involved were you in the creation of the performance piece? Be truthful.
I think our group was relatively successful in our performance. I personally think I could've made my character a lot more snobbish and I don't think I played him that well. I needed to open my mouth more and use the different mouth gestures that we learnt about when we watched the first documentary. I also needed to waddle around a bit more and really get stuck into my character. I think the rest of the group was really good at playing their characters. I was very involved in the creation of the performance piece. Everyone was good and contributed different ideas and we all came up with different bits and pieces and placed them together. I really enjoyed working with this group as we all worked well and everyone was open-minded. Write about the other groups’ performances. How successful were they? How could they improve? Be truthful Group 1. Harlie, Jannette, Katie, Greg I think this group went quite well. The best character in this performance was definitely Jannette because she really knew who her character was and she had definitely done some research as to who Brighella was, how Brighella walked, how Brighella spoke and what his personality was. Harlie was ok at playing Arlecchino. She knew that Arlecchino pulled stunts and knew how he stood but I don't think she really got into her character and really overplayed him as she should've. Greg played a good Capitano, he didn't mention that many battles that he'd been involved in but showed his cowardly side by being scared of the mouse. At one point he got frustrated at his hat and instead of being in character when it was annoying he started to be himself, so I think he should've improvised. Katy was a good Isabella but she needed to get into her character a little bit more.
Group 3. Sean, Lauren, Rigel, Kayne
This group did a real good job on their performance. I think all characters had done their research on their characters and they all knew their character's personality as well as knowing how their characters walked and talked. I think that Rigel could've spoken more about the wars he had won and what great courage he had as well as showing his medals and showing off. Sean did a real good job of Pantalone as he had the walk correct and the creepiness was to a good extent.
Group 4. Natasha, Daryl, Jennifer I think this group had a good simple scenario. I also think Daryl and Jennifer did a good job of performing as Arlecchino and Brighella as they knew who their characters were. You could see this as an audience member as Daryl was really dopey and Jennifer played many tricks and was sly. Natasha had an ok understanding of her character because like the other capitano's she had to brag about the different wars she had been present in and needed to show off a bit more and be more proud of herself as that character.
Group 5. Kayley, Tom, Ben (matt was away)! I think this group did a good job considering they had to make last minute adjustments as Matt was away. They all had an ok understanding of their characters. Tom as Il Capitano also needed to brag about the different wars and different medals he had received for bravery and for impressiveness. Kayley did a good job of playing Isabella as she had done her research and knew who Isabella was. Ben did quite a good job of Pantalone, he needed to be a tad more hunched over in his posture and needed to be a little more creepy than he was.
15.5.11 You are up to date and this is great to see. Keep it up Sophie.
MYP
Criterion B
9-10
7-8
5-6
3-4
1-2
0
Application Performance and Part A
The student is highly competent in choosing and applying a range of skills and strategies for the realisation of work. The student’s processes and resolved work reflects a high level of proficiency and creativity.
The student shows competence in applying skills and strategies needed for the realization of work, which shows creativity and proficiency in technique
The student applies skills and strategies needed to produce creative work showing reasonable proficiency in technique
The student demonstrates success with basic skills and strategies. The work reaches a point of realization and shows some proficiency in technique
The student demonstrates limited abilities to use the skills and strategies. The work is of poor quality
Student does not reach the standard described by any of the descriptors listed.
6
Criterion A
7-8
5-6
3-4
1-2
0
Knowledge and Under-standing Homework and Part A
The student shows a thorough understanding of the topic under consideration. The student confidently applied theoretical knowledge and subject specific terminology to identify clearly the complexities of the materials studied.
The student shows a broad understanding of the topic under consideration, and applies theoretical knowledge and subject specific terminology to identify some complexities of the materials studied.
The student shows a basic acquisition of the theoretical knowledge and understanding of the topic studied. The student uses some subject specific terminology to show critical awareness
The student has required limited theoretical knowledge and little understanding of the topic studied
Student does not reach the standard described by any of the descriptors listed.
6
Criterion C
7-8
5-6
3-4
1-2
0
Reflection and Evaluation Part C
The student gives a considered response evaluating the processing undertaken in producing the presentation. This evaluation includes an accurate analysis of the quality of the work produced and details of improvements which could be made.
A student reflects on the processes undertaken in completing presentation. The evaluation includes an appraisal of the quality of the work produced and an identification of areas of improvement.
A student provides an evaluation of his or her presentation development. Some aspects of the evaluation may be superficial
The student displays minimal ability to reflect on the processes undertaken in developing their presentation
Student does not reach the standard described by any of the descriptors listed.
7
Criterion D
7-8
5-6
3-4
1-2
0
Artistic Awareness and Personal Engagement
The student demonstrates a high level of interest and personal engagement in the work, and shows initiative, enthusiasm and commitment.
The student is fully engaged in the work, and shows a willingness to develop further his or her potential.
The student participates in the presentation and shows self discipline and motivation for the work.
The student participates to some extent in the presentation yet shows little interest and personal engagement in the work.
Student does not reach the standard described by any of the descriptors listed.
6
Time: 8.38 Group 2 – The scenario you devised was quite strong and appropriate for Commedia dell, Arte. The internet dating worked well but needed more development – I didn’t understand how Columbina and Arlecchnio made the realization she had been duped. He didn’t match your expectations so how did he convince you to actually date him? These ideas needed more development. I picked up on the ‘loved doctors’ part of the profile but you needed to develop her infatuation with Il Dottore more too. The comedy as you tried to find a seat was funny. Considering the limited time we had, you guys did well. These are points you could have worked on if you had more time.
Good character – when you were behind the cloth we couldn’t see your face or mask – bring it up above the sheet. You needed something else in your hand as a prop to suggest doctor. You mentioned the PhD but needed to do more to show the doctor stock character. Maybe a surgical mask when you started to operate on Brighella which then would have given Columbina another avenue for finding you attractive. Modern doctors are wealthy and drive big flashy cars – you needed to find ways of showing how the traditional Dottore had been appropriated into the modern world. Your DW is detailed and up to date. Be sure to also include the site references for work you copy and paste – this includes images and pictures too.
COMMEDIA DELL ARTE :)
Character Analysis
28/03/11
- -Obsessed with money
- -Very seedy character
- -Creepy
- -Upper class- the people who have money
- bit of a pedophile
Wears a cloak with red lines so he can open it up.
-move tongue lots
-bob neck a lot
-very hunched
-occasionally he explodes when he’s shocked and surprised
-
- -Thinks he is intellectual-he’s not!
- -Speaks with a posh accent
- -Uses lots of huge words
- -Stupid use of big words
- -Bamboozles everyone with his ‘smartness’
- -The one that sells the bottle of illicsa. He sells them wart cream.
- -Very arrogant
Where’s a big black cape
-waddles as he walks
-he talks and talks and talks therefore making him move around in circles.
-uses his mouth a lot
-mouth movements very poof poof poof poof poof.
-Represents the military
-he thinks highly of himself
-speaks with a Spanish accent
-very violent
-very gory
-he doesn't know what he's talking about (bravado)
-he hasn't ever done anything he talks about.
big boots. (all of these things are just for show)
EVERYTHING BIG
Big nose because he is dumb
-chest out
-legs kicking
-over the top movements
-speaks very stupidly
-slang type accent
-cynical
-usually lower class but sometimes upper class, he drifts like the wind
-snide
-cuts people down, enjoys insulting people
-prankster
-doesn't want to get to involved
-slow and more lyrical movement
-lots of mouth problems
-he gets really excited
-obsessed with food
-he loves sausages because they are filled with meat
-Arlechino's friend (but thinks he's smarter... but brighella isn't)
-really dumb
-huge nose
- jumps up and down
-very exaggerated eating movements
-
-has a stutter
-it means stutterer
-sometimes upper and lower class character
-is a messenger
-confuses everyone
-he got called porky pig later on because he is very similar
-uses his mouth heaps and doesn't stop talking
- -Often tricking other characters so --that he wins
- -He’s humble
- -He represents the working class.
-used his tongue lots
-hand out
-side to side movement
-projecting in a ¾ angle
- very quick and sly, very sleek movements
GOOD WEBSITE FOR STOCK CHARACTERS. http://www.shane-arts.com/commedia-stock-characters.htm
Notes
- People around this time were peasants
- It worked because it made everyone laugh
- People expected to see certain characters
- All about laughs
- The peasants despise the wealthy, the intellectuals that is why they are seen as greedy or creepy.
- All about toilet jokes
Drama homework- role of woman. 28/03/11
Women were present in Commedia dell'arte.
Women actually played women's roles in the plays. An example of a woman's character is Isabella, she was usually Pantalone's daughter and was young and attractive. She represented the bird or flamingo and was upper class.
There were usually seven men and three women.
Homework - to be completed by Week 1 Term 2
Complete the following research and publish it on your WIKISPACE.
1. http://www.theatrehistory.com/italian/commedia_dell_arte_001.html
Make notes under the following headings? (Do not plagiarise - remember turnitin knows!!)
· Commedia dell’arte – When, where and why? (What was happening in the world when Commedia emerged?)
· Subjects and content of Commedia
· Comedy in Commedia - what was funny?
· The masks of Commedia - what did they look like?
2. Research Stock Characters:
· What is a stock character?
· Who were the stock characters of Commedia dell’arte?
· Include graphics to illustrate the mask and costume of the following Commedia characters:
Pantalone
Brighella
Il Dottore
Il Capitano
Arlecchino
3. Find and upload to your wikispace a video file of commedia in performance.
4. What role did IMPROVISATION play in Commedia dell’arte?
Question 1.
·Commedia dell’arte – When, where and why? (What was happening in the world when Commedia emerged?)
This ‘species’ of play had a really long life in Italy. In fact it was from around the 14th to 18th centuries. Commedia delll’arte was flourishing in the 16th and 17th centuries. Commedia dell’arte was used to provide comic relief for the audience.
· Subjects and content of Commedia
The main subjects in Commedia dell’arte were.
· Disgraceful love affairs
· Trickery
In Commedia dell’arte the subject was decided, the characters decided, their relation to each other and the situation is decided. This is all decided before the play. After the general outline was filled out there was an opportunity for actors to vary and establish their parts. It was hard for the actors because they had to find the right words to create emotions in the audience. Actors had to study their characters seriously because Commedia dell’arte is all about improvising.
· Comedy in Commedia - what was funny?
Commedia dell’arte was mainly slapstick humour this was also referred to as ‘Lazzi’ It often didn’t even relate to the play.
· The masks of Commedia - what did they look like?
The mask of Commedia dell’arte were all different for each stock character. If you wanted to tell the difference between a lower class and an upper class character you would look at the mask the character was wearing. The bigger the nose the more dumb the character was. The masks were also rubber to allow the actor to use their face which showed different emotions.
Question 2.
Research Stock Characters:
· What is a stock character?
The actors of commedia dell’arte represented permanent social types, for example, foolish old men, devious servants, or military officers full of false bravado. Characters such as Pantalone and Arlecchino, the mischievous servant from Bergamo, began as parodies on Italian "types" and became the models of many of the favorite characters of 17th– and 18th–century European theatre.
· Who were the stock characters of Commedia dell’arte?
· Pantalone
· Il Dottore
· Il Capitano
· Pulcinella
· Brighella
· Tartaglia
· Arlechino
Characters
Pantalone
IL Dottore
Il Capitano.
Pulcinella
Brighella
Tartaglia
Arlechino
Question 3.
4. What role did IMPROVISATION play in Commedia dell’arte?
Improvisation played a huge role in Commedia dell'arte because all of the play was made up. The actors had to know who their characters were as they had to be ready to answer any questions made up by the other characters or to just act like their character did. For example. If someone was playing Brighella they would have to know that Brighella loved sausages and that was all he cared about, this means they could tie this in with any dialogue.
Notes on Faulty Towers.
Stock Characters in fawlty towers (personality/movement/voice etc)
Wife-Cyvil Fawlty: nags, never satisfied, bossy
Husband- Basil Fawlty: jokes around, sense of humour
Health inspector: grim, proper, takes note of everything
Chef: Very relaxed, non hygienic,
Manuel: dumb, doesn't speak English, childish
Polly: blonde hair, pretty
Major: gutsy, retired old man, hunts with every opportunity, still thinks he is in the war
Comic Moments
Hot plate
Cracker with rat
EXAMPLE OF LAZZI/GOOD SCENARIO :)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MLTw8DJlxy8&feature=related
HOMEWORK: Historical Context (this must be uploaded to your wiki by Friday 29th April)
Explain why stock characters are used by contemporary script writers and why they continue to engage modern audiences
Stock characters are used by contemporary script writers because
Stock characters are recognisable to the audience. This means when people are watching a performance they instantly know that the character is on stage is snobby or dumb or sly etc because they know that stock character.
PART A: Character Analysis (uploaded to wiki by Friday 6th May)
Research one of the following characters of the Commedia dell’arte:
Pantalone, Il Dottore, Arlecchino, Brighella, Il Capitano, The Lovers, Zanni, Pulchinella or another of your choice.
Brighella.
I would like to play both Il Dottore and Brighella.
REALLY HELPFUL DOCUMENT I FOUND ONLINE :)
ANOTHER ONE!
Brighella
This is the same character you will be playing in the performance for the practical part of the task.
Masks
I like this one because the cheeks are fat which represents the fact that he eats a lot. I also like the bits of hair that have been added on because I imagine Brighella as a big, fat, friendly and hairy man. Seeing he likes sausages, I sort of think of him as an Austrian or German man because I think of Augustus Gloop's father as Augustus Gloop's dad was big and fat and hairy and looked like the man that would eat quite a lot but doesn't possess the personality of Brighella.
I like this mask because the facial features are very distinct and the colour is red which is a bouncy and vibrant colour.
I really like this mask because the facial hair really adds to the mask and actually makes the nose look bigger. The cheeks are very distinct and chubby because of course Brighella is a fat person. I also like the way the mask has a huge wart at the top of the mask because this can represent the poverty aspect as Brighella if he was wealthy probably would've got that removed as it is huge!
Costumes
This is the main costume used for Brighella. However I don't really like it as I don't think it conveys his bright and bouncy personality. I like the stripes pattern because they represent the outgoing part of his personality however I think the colours should be a little brighter. Arlechinno is a very bouncy and jester type character andhis costume is very bright so it doesn't make sense to me that Brighella is bouncy and is stuck in bland colours.
I think red and black or
yellow and blue
or even black and orange.
He just needs something to make his bubbly personality stand out more.
- Explain the status of your character and his/her relationship to other commedia characters
Brighella is in the middle class section. He is the boss of Zanni and Arlechinno. He is good at pretending to be many different things and enjoys giving advice to characters such as the lovers. In any scene Brighella always adapts to the situation.- Describe how the character moves
Brighella is a very bouncy character. He moves by in a way jumping in an excited way. The actor playing him has to create the look of a fat stomach because of course Brighella is a bit of a big eater. His feet are constantly moving back and forward as he is a bouncy character. When he walks his legs stick out to either side but his head remains in the same place.- Describe the character’s personality
Brighella is the fat, friendly and bouncy character of Commedia dell'arte.He is very friendly, a little intelligent and loves eating-especially sausages!
He is a kind character and his status is always secure as he is never a victim.
NB: Research means finding relevant information (through the internet/CD Rom/Encyclopaedia’s etc), reading it and using it to inform your understanding of the topic. Do not plagiarise – that is, do not copy other people’s work. Put your research into your own words and include a bibliography of the materials you use – remember Turnitin knows!
Bibliography:
I actually found a lot of different people's wikis on commedia dell'arte and in particular character summaries. If you search 'commedia dell'arte in the search wikis box heaps of information comes up. I also searched 'Brighella' and heaps of character summaries and scenarios came up.
tedb.byu.edu/files/lesson/CommediaCharacters1.doc- however for this website they got it from another website which only had the source and no publication information. This is the document that is on my wiki under the Part A heading.
http://www.hawaii.edu/theatre/archive/archive0708/pagetostage/servant/Introduction%20to%20the%20characters.pdf- no author specified or date
http://brighella.wikispaces.com/ another wiki page.. with no author
http://commediagroup3.wikispaces.com/Stock+Characters - wiki page only states sources they used
Il Dottore
This is the same character you will be playing in the performance for the practical part of the task.
Masks
I like this mask because it actually reminds you of a doctor mainly because of the mustache but the lines on his forehead and his eyes make him look old and wise in a way even though he really isn't.
Costume
This costume represents Il Dottore well because he is a doctor and thinks he is all that. His cape makes him look smarter than he actually is and the stick is his probably what he uses to 'lecture' people about his potions and remedies with.
This costume also represents Dotorre well because you think of him as a chunky man who thinks he is smart. His cape makes him look smart and so does the collar around his neck and so do his shoes and stockings. All of his clothes make him look wealthy.
Explain the status of your character and his/her relationship to other commedia characters
Il Dottore has a wealthy status and is high on the social scale with Il Capitano and Pantelone. Officially he is a doctor but realistically he has no idea what he is talking about. If a patient was to visit the doctor the most likely diagnosis they would recieve is that they are pregnant, it wouldn't matter if they were male or female. If he didn't think they were pregnant they would be 'dead' even if they were walking around. The other characters in the scene wouldn't doubt Dottore's diagnosis because he is supposedly a 'doctor'.
Describe how the character moves
Il Dottore moves in a penguin like way- so he waddles. Seeing that he is quite a plump character he can't move very fast which causes the waddling effect. He talks with his hands which makes him look smarter and makes him look like he knows what he's talking about.
Describe the character’s personality
Il Dottore is very proper and thinks highly of himself- stuck up
He has a seriously huge ego as he thinks he knows everything.
I actually found a lot of different people's wikis on commedia dell'arte and in particular character summaries. If you search 'commedia dell'arte in the search wikis box heaps of information comes up. I also searched 'Il Dottore' and heaps of character summaries and scenarios came up.
Bibliography
http://www1.american.edu/IRVINE/jenn/dottore.html- no author stated
http://www.shane-arts.com/Commedia-Dottore.htm- no author stated
http://pirateplayers.wikispaces.com/file/view/Commedia_dell_Arte.ppt
https://stonedrama.wikispaces.com/file/view/Lazzi.doc/75362735/Lazzi.doc
lesson 23/05/11- REFLECTION
What did we get done? Our group managed to achieve a lot in this lesson.
movement:
We discussed the different movements whilst in mask. By this I mean as a group we discussed how Il Dottore would move and what his different facial expressions would be and how these would affect the audience and how they would affect the other characters in the scene.For Il Dottore our group decided that he would be a very dopy but at the same time very sly and in a way sleezy.
staging:
The group decided that we would have many different tables positioned on the stage which allows Brighella to run around and place reserved signs on each of them. The group also discussed where the different characters would sit because we have to show the relationships between the different characters.The actual performance
They bump into each other. Arlecchino chatting to audience about descriptions..
Costume lesson 26/05/11
My costume- Justifying costume
Black Tights: I chose the black tights to represent trousers that Il Dottore would be wearing. I chose to use black and not grey because it is a more 'professional' and in a way a more 'rich' colour than grey.
Suit jacket: I chose the suit jacket because our performance is set in a modern day setting and if you saw a doctor walking around the streets of the city you would't be able to tell them apart from a business man except for a name tag or stethoscope. I also wanted to represent his wealth and by wearing this jacket his wealth is shown because the other male character (arlecchino) is wearing board shorts and a t-shirt which represents lower class.
Mask: I chose this mask over the other one because it represents the more creepy side to Il Dottore and that is what he is partially about in our scene - being creepy.
Dictionary: The dictionary is just to represent him thinking he is smart because everyone knows that you don't carry a dictionary around for the fun of it, I also thought that the dictionary could be a 'medical dictionary' that he made with all sorts of different diseases that he has 'come across' because when he tries to impress Columbina he uses it to determine what disease Il Dottore has.
Scarf: The scarf is just there to make him look more 'proper' in a sense because most wealthy businessman/doctors always have scarves on just to make a fashion statement/
PART C Reflection and Evaluation
Explain how you prepared to play the character by answering the following questions:Use the elements of drama to help you write about performance – tension, focus, rhythm, space, movement, sound, time, symbol, mood, pace, pause and atmosphere, character/role, actor and audience relationship.
What function did your character have in the plot of your play? My character was in charge of performing the operation on Brighella and also in charge of trying to impress Arlecchino's date Columbina.
What was your character’s status in regards to the other characters and how did you show this? My character is of a much higher status than the other characters as he is a doctor. I showed this by always using big words in rehearsal and also adopting the correct Il Dottore stance which consists of his feet being in a 'waddle' position as well as having his arms tucked in and his head held up high.
What are the main skills needed to perform in a mask? Performing in an Il Dottore mask is quite difficult because Il Dottore always moved his cheeks around so in order to do this your mouth had to be opened wide when speaking. Performing in mask also requires a lot of voice projection and you must know who your character is because if you don't know your character's personality the mask doesn't have the same effect.
After the performance
- How successful was your group performance? How could you improve? How involved were you in the creation of the performance piece? Be truthful.
I think our group was relatively successful in our performance. I personally think I could've made my character a lot more snobbish and I don't think I played him that well. I needed to open my mouth more and use the different mouth gestures that we learnt about when we watched the first documentary. I also needed to waddle around a bit more and really get stuck into my character. I think the rest of the group was really good at playing their characters. I was very involved in the creation of the performance piece. Everyone was good and contributed different ideas and we all came up with different bits and pieces and placed them together. I really enjoyed working with this group as we all worked well and everyone was open-minded.Write about the other groups’ performances. How successful were they? How could they improve? Be truthful
Group 1. Harlie, Jannette, Katie, Greg
I think this group went quite well. The best character in this performance was definitely Jannette because she really knew who her character was and she had definitely done some research as to who Brighella was, how Brighella walked, how Brighella spoke and what his personality was.
Harlie was ok at playing Arlecchino. She knew that Arlecchino pulled stunts and knew how he stood but I don't think she really got into her character and really overplayed him as she should've. Greg played a good Capitano, he didn't mention that many battles that he'd been involved in but showed his cowardly side by being scared of the mouse. At one point he got frustrated at his hat and instead of being in character when it was annoying he started to be himself, so I think he should've improvised.
Katy was a good Isabella but she needed to get into her character a little bit more.
Group 3. Sean, Lauren, Rigel, Kayne
This group did a real good job on their performance. I think all characters had done their research on their characters and they all knew their character's personality as well as knowing how their characters walked and talked. I think that Rigel could've spoken more about the wars he had won and what great courage he had as well as showing his medals and showing off. Sean did a real good job of Pantalone as he had the walk correct and the creepiness was to a good extent.
Group 4. Natasha, Daryl, Jennifer
I think this group had a good simple scenario. I also think Daryl and Jennifer did a good job of performing as Arlecchino and Brighella as they knew who their characters were. You could see this as an audience member as Daryl was really dopey and Jennifer played many tricks and was sly. Natasha had an ok understanding of her character because like the other capitano's she had to brag about the different wars she had been present in and needed to show off a bit more and be more proud of herself as that character.
Group 5. Kayley, Tom, Ben (matt was away)!
I think this group did a good job considering they had to make last minute adjustments as Matt was away. They all had an ok understanding of their characters. Tom as Il Capitano also needed to brag about the different wars and different medals he had received for bravery and for impressiveness. Kayley did a good job of playing Isabella as she had done her research and knew who Isabella was. Ben did quite a good job of Pantalone, he needed to be a tad more hunched over in his posture and needed to be a little more creepy than he was.
15.5.11 You are up to date and this is great to see. Keep it up Sophie.
Performance and Part A
Homework and Part A
Part C
Time: 8.38 Group 2 – The scenario you devised was quite strong and appropriate for Commedia dell, Arte. The internet dating worked well but needed more development – I didn’t understand how Columbina and Arlecchnio made the realization she had been duped. He didn’t match your expectations so how did he convince you to actually date him? These ideas needed more development. I picked up on the ‘loved doctors’ part of the profile but you needed to develop her infatuation with Il Dottore more too. The comedy as you tried to find a seat was funny. Considering the limited time we had, you guys did well. These are points you could have worked on if you had more time.
Good character – when you were behind the cloth we couldn’t see your face or mask – bring it up above the sheet. You needed something else in your hand as a prop to suggest doctor. You mentioned the PhD but needed to do more to show the doctor stock character. Maybe a surgical mask when you started to operate on Brighella which then would have given Columbina another avenue for finding you attractive. Modern doctors are wealthy and drive big flashy cars – you needed to find ways of showing how the traditional Dottore had been appropriated into the modern world. Your DW is detailed and up to date. Be sure to also include the site references for work you copy and paste – this includes images and pictures too.